Femina has been capturing the essence of the Indian woman for 58 years now, and has evolved with her over the years bringing the world to her doorstep. And now, here's your chance to get the dope on everything--from celebrities and fashion, beauty and wellness, to lifestyle and relationships--delivered directly to your inbox. Plus expert tips, polls, contests and other interactive articles and a whole lot more!

7 of the weirdest sex trends from history

Most of us are aware of the strange sex trends of recent times, like stealthing, pegging and pansexuality. But did you know that bizarre sex trends are not limited just to the 21st century? Here are five weird sex trends from history that will blow your collective minds.

In ancient Egypt, wearing lipstick meant you were down for oral sex

Egyptians are believed to be one of the first societies to have started wearing makeup. The theory behind oral sex and lipstick came about because Egyptian courtesans would show off their oral sexpertise by colouring their lips. Could this have made way for the red lipstick fetish, we wonder?

Tentacle pornography is not a new thing

While you and I might find this concept a little difficult to digest, the Japanese have got the art of tentacle-related pornography down pat. In fact, this trend started back in the 1800s, and the first Japanese artist to have depicted octopus-human coupling in his work was Hokusai. He painted a woman enjoying coitus with an octopus in his painting ‘The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife’ in 1814.

Foot-ticklers were all the rage in the 18th century

Unbelievable, right? Apparently, the Russian monarchy, particularly the Tsarina, employed official foot-ticklers whose only job was to satisfy her foot fetishes. If stories are to be believed, the foot-tickler’s other responsibilities included spanking and singing dirty songs to please the Tsarina.

Pointy shoes were hot in the Middle Ages

This is one bizarre comparison that will have you splitting your sides. One fashion trend that made waves in the 15th century were pointy, long-toed shoes called Poulaines. Men loved showing off their virility by wearing Poulaines because it was believed that the pointier your shoe, the larger was your penis size.

Autoerotic asphyxiation was the solution for erectile dysfunction

While today there are cures and treatments for erectile dysfunction, men in the 17th century weren’t as lucky. The only cure for erectile dysfunction then was autoerotic asphyxiation, which is the act of choking yourself to achieve orgasm. This act was considered as the best way to cure a man of his issues for some time in the 17th century.

Sex is a part of a religious rite in HaitiThat's correct! Every summer, voodoo-practicing Haitians make way to the holy site of Saut-d'Eau, which is a waterfall, to bathe naked in the waters and worship the goddess of love. To make things even more real, some devout Haitians also believe in having sex in the blood of sacrificed animals.

Where people believe that sex is bad for health On a little island called Inis Beag off the coast of Ireland, islanders believe that sex is bad for their health. Not only that, whenever they decide to have sex, they keep their underwear on. At all times. No matter which sexual activity they're indulging in. Weird, right?